Combined snap and buckle for harness



Feb 19 K9245 I J. H. LATHAM COMBINED SNAP AND BUCKLE FOR HARNESS FiledAug. 9. 1923 t w m WWW;

fiTrhTES l it lfi l FATENT JOHN H. LA'IHAIVI, OF MARSHALL, MISSOURI.

COMBINED SNAP AND BUCKLE FOR HARNESS.

Application filed August 9, 1923.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOHN H. LATHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marshall, in the county of Saline and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Snaps andBuckles for Harness, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a combined snap and buckle suitable forharnesses, and is intended to replace ordinary harness snaps whichrequire a buckle to attach them to a strap.

In the accompanying drawings, one embodiment of the invention isillustrated;

and-

Figure 1 is a buckle;

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section; and

Figure 3 is a section along line 38 of Figure 2.

The snap buckle consists of a hook 10 extending from the lower end of anelongated loop 11 having a longitudinal opening 12. The upper end of theloop terminates with a rectangular bridge piece 13 reaching transverselyacross the loop and provided with a pair of upwardly directed arms 14,the upper ends of which are united by a top member 15, which is somewhatwider than the arms 14 and has a rectangular opening 16 in the middle.Midway between the bridge 13 and the top member 15, the two shanks 14:are connected by a bar 17..

Centrally upon the rear portion 01"- the top perspective view of thesnap member 15 is hinged a depending finger 18 which reaches slightlybelow the bar 17 and can be swung around the top member 15. This upperportion of the device constitutes the buckle and a strap 19 taken downthrough the opening 16 of the top member 15, engages around the bar 17and is returned through the opening 16. This strap, which is providedwith a plurality of perforations 20, permits the finger 18 to passthrough one of the same, so as to rigidly hold the strap in position inthe buckle.

At the free end of the hook 10 is pivoted a dog 21 having a shank 22 ofsuflicient length to reach across the opening of the hook and enter withits heel 23 in the opening 12 of the loop. In upward direction from theshank 22 is provided a toe 24 which is adapted to engage on the outerside of a spring tongue 25 which is rec- Serial No. 656,518.

tangular in shape and secured in the bridge piece 13 by means ofoverlapping securing flanges 26.

It is evident from the drawing, that the dog 21 will be securely held inposition, as seen in Figure 2, with the spring tongue 25 engaging in theV formed between. the toe 24 and the heel 23 while the latter rests inthe bottom of the opening 12 in the loop 11. This openin is narrower atthe bottom so that no side play of the dog 21 is possible.

In order to assemble the strap 27 carrying a ring 28 in the snap, it isnecessary to press inwardly, the spring tongue 25 to release the heel 23of the dog 21, when the latter can be swung outwardly into the dottedposition indicated in Figure 2. As the hook is now open, the ring 28 canbe slipped over the dog and the end of the hook and the openingthereupon closed by pressing the dog down in front of the spring tongue25 until the heel engages between the end of the latter and the bottomof the longitudinal opening in the loop 11.

It is evident that this device may have many uses not only on harnesses,but in connection with other straps for easy attachment and detachmentof the same.

As the snap buckle consists of only four parts, the manufacturing costthereof becomes very low. The main or body portion of the device,consisting of a hook 12, loop 11, bridge piece 13, shanks 14, and topmember 15, forming one unit, ma 1 be cast or pressed out of suitablemetal. The spring tongue 25 may then be inserted under the securingflanges 26 and the finger 18 bent around the rear portion of the topmember 15, and finally the 21 inserted with its rear portion in thesmall eye 29 formed at the end of the hook, and the shank 22 thereuponbent to hold the dog 21 swingingly in the eye 29.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A snap hook comprising a body member provided with a hook portion atone end and a suspension portion at the other end, and means for closingthe open part of the hook portion; said means including a dog hinged atthe free end of the hook portion, and a yieldable element adapted toretain said dog in closed position.

2. A combined snap and buckle comprising a body member provided with ahook portion at one end and a buckle portion at the other end, and meansfor closing the open part of the hook portion; said means including adog hinged at the free end of the hook, and a yieldable element securedin the body member and adapted to engage with said dog to retain, it inclosed position.

3. A combined snap and buckle comprising a body member provided with ahook portion at one end and a buckle portion at the other end, and meansfor closing the open part of the hook portion; said means including adog hinged at the free end of the hook and a spring secured in the bodymember and adapted to engage with said dog to retain it in closedposition, said dog having a heel and a toe forming a V into which thefree end of: said spring is adapted to engage. v

4:. A combined snap and buckle comprising a body member provided with ahook portion at one end and a buckle portion the other end, vand meansfor closing the open part of the hook portion; said means including adog hinged at the free end of the hook and a spring secured in the bodymember and adapted to engage with said dog to retain, it in closedposition, said dog having a heel and a toe forming a J into which thefree end-of said spring is adapted to engage, said body member having anopening adapted to receive said heel.

5. A combined snap and buckle comprising a body member provided with ahook portion at one end and a buckle portion at the other end, and meansfor closing the open part of the hook portion; said means including adog hinged at the free end or the hook and a spring secured in the bodymember and adapted to engage with said dog to retain it in closedposition, said dog having a heel and a toe forming a V into which thetree end of said spring is adapted to engage, said body member having anopening adapted to receive said heel; said buckle portion including apair of parallel arms medially connected by a cross-bar, and a topelement connecting the upper ends of aid arms, said top element having atransverse slit and a hinged finger depending from said top element-andadapted to contact With said cross-bar. V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN H. LATHAM. [1,. s]

